Nokia continues to expand the use of NFC technology beyond the boundaries of mobile commerce. The company has entered into a partnership with the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to develop an NFC ticketing system. The system will allow travelers to purchase tickets using their mobile phones and is being designed to streamline the process and make it much quicker. The system will be part of a pilot initiative that will gauge consumer reaction to NFC payments in a variety of settings. Nokia says that the ticketing system will be operational before the end of the year.
The idea for contactless payments is almost as old as NFC technology itself, dating back to 2004. The concept has only recently become popular due to the tide of interest coming from technology and telecommunications companies like Google and Nokia. Initially, the companies targeting NFC technology had intended for it to be used in making purchases at grocery stores or coffee shops, but have recently begun seeing its viability in public events and travel.
Nokia has emerged as one of the foremost competitors in the growing NFC market. The company is set to release a new wave of NFC-enabled smart phones in 2012, each of which will function as a mobile payment device. The company will continue expand its NFC endeavors to ensure that the technology penetrates diverse industries around the world.
